Master's Programs in Educational Psychology

The master's programs are designed for students who are interested in individual differences, working with children, youth or adults in educational settings, conducting educational research or ultimately intend to pursue the PhD degree in Educational Psychology or a closely related field. Students who complete the MSED or MA will be able to describe (a) the foundations of educational psychology, (b) individual differences in learning and development, (c) research methods in education, (d) current issues and trends in educational psychology, and (e) relationships between measurement, exceptionalities, and multicultural issues.

The remaining hours may include graduate level courses from one or more of these areas: assessment, research and statistics, learning and development, gifted and talented, or applied behavior analysis. With approval, up to fifteen hours of electives may be taken outside the department and School of Education. The affordance of electives allow students to select courses that match not only their interests but their future career goals.

Master of Arts (MA)

The MA degree requires thirty hours of graduate coursework including a 3-hour thesis course. The masters thesis is typically an independent research study that includes the posing of a research question, design of a study to address it, collection of data, and the presentation and defense of the results. Twenty-one hours of core coursework are the same as that listed above for the MSEd. Generally, the MA is considered to be good preparation for those students wishing to pursue the PhD degree.

Quantitative Methods Specialization

There is a well-documented shortage of professionals with
quantitative skills, which makes graduates with such competencies in
high demand. To help meet this demand, we offer a 5th Year MA program
for undergraduates interested in quantitative methods. This program
allows undergraduates the opportunity to develop skills in quantitative
research and complete a Master’s degree in one year.

The purpose of the 5th year MA program in educational psychology
with a specialization in quantitative methods is to prepare professional
researchers to understand and apply advanced quantitative research
methods to address social problems and understand educational,
psychological, and methodological research so that program graduates can
contribute new knowledge to the field.

In this program, students will learn research skills necessary for
understanding the gap between theory, research, and practice. With these
skills, students will conduct principled inquiry that promotes
quantitative scholarship to advance knowledge and educational and
psychological practice; these skills benefit students in doctoral
programs or a research-related career.

For more information, see the Quantitative Methods Specializationhandbook and the departmental listing of quantitative courses.

Admission to the Master's Program

Admission begins with
an application to the Graduate School at Baylor University. The application process is online.
You will need to choose Educational Psychology and designate either the MSEd or
MA.

The master’s program
accepts applicants for the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Note: If you are
applying to the ABA track, you will typically begin during the first summer
term. It is preferred that prospective students have their completed
application to the graduate school by early February in order to be more
competitive for potential graduate assistantships and other financial aid options.
Completed applications will be reviewed throughout the year.

Students must first
meet the admission requirements for graduate study at Baylor University. Admission
to the master’s program also requires a recommendation for acceptance by the director
of the master’s program.

A student seeking to
enter the master’s program submits an Application for Graduate School Admission
to Baylor University along with an application fee payable to Baylor
University.

An application for
admission to the master’s program is considered complete and ready to review
when the following documents have been submitted to the Graduate School at
Baylor University:

1.All
official transcripts for undergraduate and graduate course work (An overall 3.0
grade point average for previous coursework is desirable).

2.An
application form (designating either MSEd or MA).

3.Three
letters of recommendation (preferably one from an academic advisor, and at
least one from someone familiar with the your experiences).

4.Personal
statement by the student outlining his/her background and professional
objectives.

In addition to these
documents, the director requires an interview with all applicants.

Note. The GRE is not
required for admission.

The director along
with department faculty considers a broad range of academic, personal, and
experiential factors in making its recommendations on admission.